Gospel: Mark 10:17-30
As Jesus was setting
out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good
teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him,
"Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the
commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not
steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your
father and your mother." He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of
these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and
said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and
give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow
me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had
many possessions.
Jesus looked around
and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to
enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So
Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the
kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than
for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly
astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus
looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for
God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We
have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said,
"Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or
sisters or mother or father
or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not
receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and
sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life
in the age to come."
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Reflection:
There is a story of
two neighbors, one was rich and the other was poor. The rich’s neighbor’s family
was always busy and they hardly have time for God. The poor neighbor’s family
would always see to it that they have time to worship Jesus at Holy Mass. They
also have time to pray as a family in their house.
After fifteen (15)
years there was a reversal of fortunes for these two neighbors. The rich family
became poor and the children did not become successful. The poor family on the
other hand became rich and the children were successful in their chosen careers.
Our obsession and
greed with earthly treasures if not corrected will always lead us away from
loving and following Jesus. This could also lead to our downfall and disgrace.
What is the use of
earthly treasures if we have no peace of mind? What is the use of a big house
and enormous property if this is the cause of disagreements and arguments in
the family? What is the use of temporal wealth if it will take away communication
in the family?
It’s better to be
poor for as long as you have God in your family. It’s better to stay in a small
house in the company of God rather than a mansion without the presence of God. It’s
better not to own any material treasure for as long as you have the greatest
treasure which is no other than Jesus.
In our gospel for
this Sunday, there is this man who was at the threshold of following Jesus. Yet
he walked away from Jesus because he couldn’t give up his material treasures.
Material treasures which by the way are temporary and material treasures which always
disturbs our minds instead of giving us peace of mind.
How about you, will
you give up your temporal treasures in favor of having Jesus in your life? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
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